


Big Bird’s Bad Dream

by ReleasingmyInsanity



Series: Bob and His Soulmates [4]
Category: Sesame Street (TV)
Genre: Canon Character of Color, Cute Kids, Deaf Character, Everyone is Big Bird's Family, Families of Choice, Family Fluff, Gen, Mr. Hooper lives, Nightmares, Nobody Ages, Parenthood, Sign Language, all relationships are minor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2019-11-10
Packaged: 2021-01-27 04:46:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21386326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReleasingmyInsanity/pseuds/ReleasingmyInsanity
Summary: Happy 50th Anniversary, Sesame Street. In honor of the anniversary, here is a fic about Big Bird and his Sesame Street family.When Big Bird has a nightmare, everyone gathers to reassure him.
Relationships: Background Bob Johnson/Gordon Robinson/Susan Robinson, Background David/Bob Johnson/Linda/Olivia Robinson/Luis Rodriguez/Maria Figueroa Rodriguez, Mr. Macintosh/Willy (Sesame Street)
Series: Bob and His Soulmates [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1233005
Kudos: 1





	Big Bird’s Bad Dream

**Author's Note:**

> If it wasn’t clear from the tags, this takes place in an AU where everyone stops aging somewhere in their 30s or 40s.  
(Except for Muppets, who stop aging kind of at random. Hence Big Bird still being six.)

It was quiet on Sesame Street at four in the morning. Only the owls were awake. And even Hoots wasn’t playing his saxophone, just sitting quietly enjoying the night. But that quiet was interrupted as Big Bird woke with a start from a bad dream. Accidentally tossing one of his pillows out of his nest and knocking over the clock. After a few moments, he was awake enough to register that he had only been dreaming.

Taking Radar with him, Big Bird got out of his nest and headed across the street to the apartments over Hooper’s Store. Usually when he had a nightmare he wanted Susan and Gordon. They were nearby and good at handling nightmares. But right now, Big Bird wanted his first human dad. He knocked politely on the bedroom door. “Willy?”

Willy rolled over and opened his eyes. Had someone knocked?

“Willy?” Called Big Bird’s voice again.

Willy sat up. Nudging his husband as he did so. “Mac, wake up. Our son needs us.” Before Mac could respond, Willy was out of bed and pulling on his robe as he headed for the door. Mac following closely behind.

“Big Bird?” Willy asked. “What’s wrong?

“I had a nightmare and I’m scared,” Big Bird said, reaching out his wings for a hug.

The two men hugged the giant bird that they had adopted as a son many, many years ago.

“Do you need to talk about it?” Mr. Macintosh asked, “Or do you just want comfort?”

“I need to talk about it,” Big Bird said.

Willy nodded toward the couch. “Let’s sit down and you can tell us everything.”

“Miles and Gabi and their friends are starting college soon,” Big Bird began as soon as they sat down. “They’re going to be living off of Sesame Street. I know they’re not going very far and they’re going to visit, but I’m going to miss them.”

“And that’s what your nightmare was about?” Willy asked gently.

“Well, not exactly.” Big Bird said. “I dreamed that after they graduated, they moved even further away and that… and that…. I dreamed that their parents left too. They wanted to live closer to their kids and I asked if I was coming too and they said no. They said they didn’t want me anymore.”

“Oh. Oh, Big Bird. It was only a dream.” Mac assured him. “It wasn’t real.”

“I know it wasn’t real.” Big Bird said. “But it felt real. And what if it comes true? What if most of my parents leave?”

As Big Bird finished speaking, there was a knock at the front door. Willy knew who it was immediately. “Come in, Harold.”

The door opened and Harold Hooper walked in. Closing the door gently behind him and crossing the room to hug Big Bird as well.

“Oh Mr. Looper.” Big Bird said. “Did I wake you up too? I’m sorry.”

“No, No. I was awake anyway,” Mr. Hooper assured him, ignoring the incorrect name. “I was getting a glass of water when I heard you come up the stairs.”

“I had a nightmare, Mr. Cooper,” Big Bird said.

“I know,” Mr. Hooper said gently. “I heard you telling Mr. Macintosh and Willy. Big Bird, all of your parents love you. None of us will ever tell you that we don’t want you.”

Willy and Mr. Macintosh nodded. “We will always want you in our lives, Big Bird. You’re our son.”

Big Bird hugged Radar tightly. “I’m not worried about the three of you leaving, it’s the rest of my parents leaving that I’m scared of.”

“You don’t need to worry about that either.” Mr. Hooper said. “You’re their son too.”

“Are you sure?” Big Bird asked.

“I’m sure.”

“Good.”

“Are you feeling calm enough to go back to sleep, Big Bird?” Willy asked.

“I think so,” Big Bird said.

“Do you want to spend the rest of the night here?” Mr. Macintosh asked him.

Big Bird nodded. “I don’t want to go back to my nest yet. Radar and I will sleep here in the living room.”

Willy nodded. “Okay. And then you can come and get us if you need to.”

“Thank you.” Big Bird said. He tucked Radar under one wing and settled down on the floor. “Goodnight dads.”

The three men smiled fondly as he tucked his head underneath his other wing so he could sleep. “Goodnight Big Bird.”

Big Bird slept soundly the rest of the night. The next morning, Mr. Hooper called a family meeting in the store. Big Bird still needed reassurance from the rest of his “parents” that his nightmare would not come true.

Alan hovered behind the counter in case any customers came in. Besides, it was a family meeting and he was part of the family. The rest of the family sat at tables and the counter to listen and reassure Big Bird.

Big Bird told them all about his nightmare and how he couldn’t shake the feeling that it would come true. Everyone gently assured him that it wouldn’t.

“We’re not going to leave,” Maria said. “Sesame Street is our home.”

Beside her, her husbands nodded. “We’ve been living here for 34 years,” David pointed out.

“I can’t imagine living anywhere else,” Luis added.

Alan spoke up from behind the counter. “I’ve only been here for eight years and I can’t imagine wanting to leave either.”

“Besides,” Gabi said. “Even if everyone did move away, if our parents didn’t bring you along, we would.”

Miles exchanged smiles with his sister. “That’s right, Big Bird. Siblings look out for each other.”

Big Bird smiled at that. “Thanks.”

“_And parents look after their children_.” Linda told him. “_That includes you._”

“You’re our son,” Olivia added.

“We’ll still see Miles and Gabi no matter where they go,” Bob said. “And we won’t leave you out.”

“Even when the kids don’t live with us anymore, all three of you will still be a part of our lives.” Gordon reassured Big Bird.

“But won’t you miss them when they move out?” Big Bird asked, still clearly worried.

“Of course,” Susan said gently. “Missing your children when they aren’t there is part of being a parent. But the kids moving away doesn’t mean that we’re losing them and you won’t lose us.”

Gina spoke up. “You know that I’m adopting a baby in a few weeks. Even though he’s a baby now, I already know that someday he will grow up and follow his own path in life. And when he does, it will mean that I have succeeded as a mother. Your child growing up isn’t a bad thing to stop, it’s a good thing to be celebrated.”

Big Bird smiled then. He knew how much work Gina had been putting into making sure everything would be ready for the baby when she brought him home, and how excited she was to be a mom. That was something to look forward to. Miles and Gabi might be moving out, but Gina’s son was moving in. And Big Bird couldn’t wait to play with him.

“Maybe that’s the way to fix my nightmares,” Big Bird said. “I should think about all the good things that are going to happen.”

His family smiled. “That should work very well indeed.” Mr. Hooper told him.

Big Bird grinned and reached out his wings. Everyone came over for a group hug, and Big Bird appreciated his family more than ever.

**Author's Note:**

> Sesame Street has been brought to you today by the letters A and B, and by the number 17.
> 
> Willy was played by Big Bird’s dad, Kermit Love, the man who built the puppet. So Arytra and I decided that of all of Big Bird’s “human parents,” he was the first.
> 
> Barkley’s one of their kids too of course, but Big Bird isn’t worried about him. Barkley stays with Linda no matter what.
> 
> Gina adopted her son Marco only 18 episodes after Miles and Gabi’s high school graduation.
> 
> I think all the characters who appear were on the show for at least 11 years. Appropriate for the anniversary.
> 
> Sesame Street is a huge family and there’s so much love there.


End file.
